Brave Exiles’ come back falls short

London’s magnificent second-half comeback proved too little too late, as they lost out to Laois in their Leinster Championship tie by a goal.

An eight-point lead for the O’Moore men at the break hinted that a heavy drubbing was imminent, but outstanding performances by Martin Duggan and Eoin Kelly spurred on a brave London resurgence.

So much so, that the final whistle was met by frustration at an opportunity perhaps lost by the hosts, who had let the tie slip beyond them through poor composure in front of goal.

Laois were gifted the chance to seize the lead in the opening minute through a Stephen Maher free, before Duggan’s impressive pass allowed Kelly to grab the equaliser.

It was as close as the sides were to be for the remainder of the match as Laois capitalised on London errors to run away with the first-half. An early London tactic was a short puck out to Kilburn Gaels back Conor Hickey, but Laois soon exploited the procedure to gain important possession in the final third.